Gate-latch.



PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

I M. 0. PATTON. GATE'LATGH, APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1906.

MORDICA O. PATTON, OF: RAYVILLE, MISSOURI.

GATE-LATCH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed April 2, 1906. Serial No. 309.494:-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORDIOA O. PATTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rayville, in the county of Ray and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved latch for gates or other swingingclosures, and has for its object to provide a device of this characterwhich will effectively prevent the gate from being twisted and distortedby live stock and which can at the same time be readily operated by aperson.

With this object in view the latch comprises, essentially, two spacedlatch-bars,

which are peculiarly connected, so as to operate in unison, and ahand-lever for operating the latch-bars.

For a full descri tion of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe gate when closed. Fig. 2 is a face view of the latch-post. Fig. 3 isa top plan view of the gate, the latch-post being shown in section. Fig.4 is a vertical sectional view through the gate on the line as a; ofFig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The numeral 1 designates a gate of any suitable construction, which ishinged to the gate-post 2, so as to swing to and from the latch-post 3.In the preferred construction the gate 1 is formed of a number ofhorizontal rails 4, connected by endbars 6 and 7. The end bar 7 at theswinging end of the gate is shown as formed of two spaced memberssecured to opposite sides of the rails 4. In order to prevent the gatefrom sag ing, a diagonal brace 8 may be employed, i desirable.

A pair of spaced latch-bars 9 is provided, and these latch-bars areslidably mounted upon the rails 4, so as to pass between the spacemembers forming the end post 7 and engage with sockets on the latch-post3. Upright members 11 are located upo'n opposite sides of the gate 1 andform guideways, within which the inner ends of tho latch-bars 9 slide.These latch-bars 9 are rigidly connected by means of a transverse member12, so as to operate in unison, and the transverse member 12 is looselyconnected, by means of a link 13, to the lower end of a hand-lever 14.This hand-lever projects upwardly slightly beyond the uppermost rail v4,so as to be readily grasped by the operator, and is pivoted at anintermediate point 15 to one of the intermediate rails 4. In order tohold the latch-bars 9 normally projecting beyond the end of the gate, soas to engage with the sockets upon the latch-post, spring members 16 areemployed, which have one end secured to the latch-bar, while theopposite end is secured to the end post 7. It willbe observed that eachof the latch-bars 9 is provided near its ends with rojections 17, whichengage with the uprig t members 11 and end post 7, respectively, inorder to limit the sliding movement of the bars. These projections 17may be very readily formed, as shown, by driving pins through thelatchbars and allowing the ends of the pins to project beyond the sidesof the bars. WVith this construction it will be apparent that thelatch-bars are normally held in engagement with the sockets 18 upon thelatch-posts 3 by means of the springs 16 but by pushing the hand-lever14 the latches can be released, so as to open the gate. The sockets 18upon the latch- 0st 3 are preferably formed in plates or blbcks 19. Oneedge of each of the blocks 19 is beveled, as shown at 20, so as toengage with the extremities of the latch-.bars 9 when the gate isclosed, so as to force the latch-bars back and allow them to enter thesockets 18. If desirable, the gate-post 2 may be slightly inclined orthe bearings of the gate placed somewhat out of the vertical, so thatthe gate will close of its own accord and always assume a closedposition. The springs 16, which normally hold the latch-bars inengagement with the sockets in the latch-post, are shown as protectedfrom the action of the weather by hoods or casings 21, which are formedof sheet metal or similar material.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is Thecombination of a swinging gate comprising a series of horizontal railsconnected by end bars, the end bar at the swinging end of the gate beingformed of two spaced members secured to opposite sides of the rails, apair of upright members spaced from the before-mentioned end bars andalso secured to opposite sides of the rails, a pair of parallel spacedlatch-bars slidably mounted upon the rails and held against lateraldisplacement by stops which engage with the upright members and end barof the gate to limit the sliding 15 the before-mentioned spaced uprightmem-' movement of the latch-bars, and spring members and the end bar atthe swinging end of i bers extending along the latch-bars and conthegate, a transverse member rigidly con necting the two latch members andcausing the same to operate in unison, a hand-lever pivoted to one ofthe rails, a link member connecting the hand-lever to thebeforementioned transverse member and enabling the latch-bars to bewithdrawn through the medium of the hand-lever; pins passing trans- 1versely through the latch-bars and forming I neeting the same to the endbar of the gatepost, the said spring member tending to hold thelatcl1-bars normally in operative position. 20

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MORDICA O. PATTON. Witnesses:

FRANK M. BARGER, ELMER HANKINS.

